1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an auger airlock assembly for conveying agricultural material along a desired path, for example from the outlet of a cyclone separator to a collection hopper. More specifically, the invention relates to an improved auger airlock assembly provided with an auger-mounted, rotatable blade at the outlet of the unit for cutting and dispersing buildups of material at this point, so as to minimize material jams.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An auger airlock is often used for conveying materials such as agricultural products (e.g., alfalfa) along a desired path of travel in a negative pressure system. Such an airlock is generally necessary to preserve the integrity of the overall negative pressure system. Generally speaking, prior auger airlocks include an elongated barrel or tube presenting a material inlet and a material outlet spaced from the inlet, with an elongated, axially rotatable, material-conveying auger screw positioned within the tube. In negative pressure situations, appropriate airlock doors and the like are provided for maintaining the reduced pressure conditions throughout the system.
The use of auger airlocks is not new in the industry. However, two related problems have arisen in conventional auger airlocks, particularly when handling coarse materials. The first is that materials may fall from the outlet in large lumps rather than in the more desirable smaller pieces. The second problem stems from the possibility of the system stalling if the coarse material agglomerates at the outlet of the auger tube. When this occurs, it is often necessary to shut down the airlock apparatus and manually clear the blockage. It will also be appreciated that both of these problems can impair the negative pressure conditions within the overall system. Hence, there is a real need for an improved auger airlock for breaking up agglomerations and blockages of coarse material, to thereby assure smooth, trouble-free operation.